Liquid-dispensing system



.June 10, 1930..l A c. `H. EHLERS 1;762,9 65

LIQUID DIsPENsING SYSTEM yFiled Nov. e, 1925 2 sheets-sheet 1 'im @ff/456W!!! i ATTORNEY.

June 1 0, 1930. c. H. EHLERs I l LIQUID DISPENSING SYSTEM 2 sheets-sheet 2 *Filed Nov'. 6, 1925 Carl T0 Mfvfr T- 171 -TZ--Tfz, By

lf. Ehlers,

M v4. D/

ATTORNEY. l

Patented June 10, 19150 PAT 1- CARL H. EHLERS, OF'PENFIELD, PENNSYLVANIA, A.ASSIGrlI'OIw'I 'IOETH VRE- a liquid.

r1NiNe coMPANY, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, 'AcoRroRATIoN or PENN- .ff

SYLVANIA Applicationifiled November invention relates to a systeman'lap.-A forcontrolling the flow of' parat-us utilizable In accordance With my invention, suitable mechanism comprised in a system supplying a liquid under pressure from ya plurality of separate tan-ks or receptaclesis suitably controlled to the end that' liquid may be Withdrawn frombut one tank at a' time.

Further in accordance With my invention,

suitable valve structure is retained inV a position permitting lovv of a liquid nby control mechanism readily releasable tohcheck thev liquid flow in' case oi an emergency, orl for,

' munication in any desired manner with a cas any other reason.

Further in accordance With my invention, valve structure, as' aforesaid,is 'retained inia positionk permitting flow of a'liquid from'ga invention may take, reference is to be had to tank or receptacle by a gaseous pressurecoiitrol device readily releasable to 'I check the|` liquid flow, and more particularly, said conf trol device comprises a member movable in response'to the application of gaseous pres-A sure to hold' the valve structurein apositioii permitting liquidr iiow fand in ovable in; another direction upon decrease'in' gaseous.

pressure to release the valve structure.

My invention resides. in; the system and apparatus hereinafter described and claimed.

F or an understanding ofiny invention and for an illustration of one of the forms my the accompanying drawing, in Which:

Fig. 1 is ,a vertical sectional View ofV apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention, taken onk the' line 1-1 ofFig. 2.k

' 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevational view lookingin the direction ofarrow X on Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic View of a dispensl Referring to Fig. 1,"a check valve body .VIA

is'provided with a seatl, preferably ground and exposing a'plane'surace receiving a disk y y 'shank 24 of the control valve 25.' Athreaded 'I 2 of leatheror other suitable materiahcomprised in the check valve 3. A. threaded fre! cess 4in valve body'A isclosed'by-a capg provided With a passageway slidabgly 'receiving LIQUID-DISPENSING 'SYSTEM 6, i925.Y serial VivoacisigzsssQry Valve body A maybe placed in coinmiinica-V f; I

tion with a tanko'r receptacle in any desired,

'mannen preferably, however, by utilizing af' flange l2 secured bolts 13, or equivalent re Y taining structure, to a correspondingange j r 14 comprised in a pipe or conduit lleading I Valve body A mayalso befplaced'iii Y ing or housing containing` suitable control valve mechanism, yhereinafter described, liiire'f'- erably, however, lby providing ailangey 16 in an otl'set portion off said `body land' securing said flangeto a corresponding flange` 17 com. prised in thecasing B in "any suitablev manner Casing Bis divided 'into upper and'loiver 'Y Y Wall 18, 'and the upper vcoii'i'parftment isffurf' ther subdividedinto.tvvo'chainbers 19 and 19a compartments lbya .horizontally ,eitendlg i of substantially the same dimensions by a vertically extending WallQO,

Chamber 19a of casing Bterminates'in a flange lafcorresponding to flange17 and a check valve body A1 is Vattached toffsaid" flange 17a. Inasniucli as body A1"`and"thei mechanism associated therewith is aduplicate ofzbodyAand .itsassociatedmechanism, the foregoing description. Wil-l not b'erepeatg5 Yed.; 'Howeven in -eacliinst ance, the saine ref# erence vnumeral Witli the subscript aff addedr recess V26 placesi -cliamb'er'f and the yloyver l cept When diskV 28, ot leather or `equivalent most compartment?? inco'mmunication, exi 100l material, rests upon the plane-surfaced valve also located in conduct 57, preferably immediseat 29. A plurality of arms cai'ried by seat 29 terminate in a guide member 31Y provided With an opening 32 aligned with passageivay 23 and slidably receiving another shank 33 of contiol valve 25. A coil spring 34, or equivalent, confined around shank 24 between the interior surface of cap 22 and valve 25, biases the leather disk 28 of said valve into engagement with its seat 29.

:Chamber 19 is provided ivith control valve structure, a duplicate of that described above in connection with chamber 19. Forthe sake of brevity, aspecific description of such structure Will notV be included herein, but in each oase the saine reference numeral With the subscript a added will be applied to the parts in chamber 19a corresponding to the parts previously described Ain connection With chamber 19.

i' Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, a cam shaft 35 is shown as journalled in a bearing 36 and a threaded extension 37, both formed preferably integrally with casing B. A follower Y nut 38 threaded to Vextension 37 is utilized to move a gland`39 axially of shaft 35 to compress the packing 40 in a manner Well understood inthe art.

A polygonal portion of cani shaft carries a collar having an opening correspond- "ing to the configuration of said shaft. Arms 41 and 41a extend in opposite directions from collar 40 to pointsadj acent'the ends of shanks 33 and 33a. Axial movement of shaft 35 may be prevented in any suitable manner, pref- 'erably, however, by utilizing a collar 42 secured t0 shaft 35 and engaging the Wall of casingB opposite from bearing 36;.

EXteriorly of casing B, cam shaft 35 Acar- .ries an actuating lever 43 and alocking lever '44 terminating in a plate-like portion 45 pro.-

videdV Withcsp'aced openings 46 and 46n (Fig. 3).

A closure plate 47lsuitably secured to cas- .l Ning B, as by bolts 48, carries a cylinder 49 *threaded at one end to receive a cap 50. The

freeend'ofa piston 51 comprises a piston head 52 and a threadedsteni extending through a Vhen piston 51 is moved after described', the end of said piston removed from piston head 52 passes into an 'opening 46 or 461o'f plate`45, depending on the position of actuating lever 43.

A pipe or conduit 57 leading from some l source of gaseous4 pressure, as the air compres- .sor C, Fig. 4, is received man opening in the cap 50.V .A needle valve N, or equivalent, suitf ably located 'in' conduit 557, serves to minimize thevolume'of air passing through'said conduit While maintaining the desired pressure.

VAnother valve, as the three-Way valve V, is

ately adjacent the casing B.

The lower compartment 27 of casing B is provided with a suitable discharge port, as the conduit 58, preferably provided with a flange 59 suitably secured, as by bolts 60, to a corresponding flange 61 of a pipe or conduit 62 leading to a suitable destination, as one or more meters and nozzles (not shoWn).. Y

Under normal conditions, the free end of piston 51 is held in one of the openings 46 or 46a of plate 45 by the air pressure applied to one face of piston head 52 by the compressor C. To reduce this air pressure, an attendant may actiiate valve V, or one of the relief valves 63 in a conduit 64 having no outlet, but connected to conduit 57. i

The operation is as follows Tanks T and T1 contain a liquid, as oil, under pressure, as air or hydraulic pressure, herein shown as air pressure, Fig. 4, Which tends to move the oil through pipes 15 and 15a in the direction of the valve bodies A and A1.

Referring to 1, movementof actuating handle 43 to rotate shaft 35 in a clockwise direction will cause arm 41 to engage shank 33 and lift control valve 25 fi'om its seat against the pressure of spring 34. V Thereafter, oil Will flow from tank T through pipe 15, valve body A, and thence to chamber 19 and the lower compartment 27 of 'casing B. From the latter, the oil flows through conduits 58 and 62 to the point Where it is Withdrawn from the storage system. It Will be noted that checkvalve 3 rises in response to the liquid pressure to permit passage of oil in the manner aforesaid. Tf for some reason, hovvever oil should attempt to flow in a reverse direction, check valve 3 .vould remain on its seat andprevent passage of the oil to tank T.

lVhile swinging actuating handle 43 to lift control valve 25 from its seat, it was necessary to manually forcepiston 51 and piston head 52 toward the right (Fig. 2) against the air pressure from conduit 57 or relieve the air pressure by opening valve V to the atmosphere, so that the opening 46a of locking lever 44 could be positioned in alignment with the free end of piston 51. When so positioned, the free end of said piston is moved toward the left (Fig. 2) into opening 46 under the inuence of the existing air pressure.y Thereafter, control valve 25 is held open and oil may be Withdrawn from tank T, as desired. Y .l

If for any reason, such as the occurrence of a fire at one of the nozzles, it should be desired to quickly close the control valve 25 to cut off'the source of oil supply, it is only necessary to open'oiie of the valves 63 to the atinsophere. These valves are conveniently located at various points, preferably Aeo away from the immediate `vicinity offa noz- I zie, and When one is-opened, the air pressure, 1n conduit 57 and the end 4of cylinder 49 conn'ectedthereto is immediately decreased and spring 53 becomes eiiectiveto Vmove the endof piston 5l out of the opening 46a in locking lever 44. Upon so doing, spring 34 Vtank T1 in service. Obviously', in this manner, either tank T or T1 may be cut into serv'- ice, as desired, the free'end of piston 5l .enteringone of the openings 46 or 46 depending' on the direction ot movement of lever 43. However, of the tanks T and T1, it is possible to cut but one tank into service at a time, since When valve 25 is moved from its seat, the corresponding valve 25a remains seated, and vice versa.

Referring to Fig. 4, there are illustrated three groupso'f tanks, of which tWogrOups are connected to a common outlet, While othergroup is connectedv to a different outlet. 'it Will be observed that three duplica-te valve structures of the type hereinbefore speciied are utilized, and that casings B and B1 respectively enclose two of such valve structures. Valvebodies A2 andA3 of casing B1 are connected, respectively, to tanks T2 and T? by conduits 151 and 15. A conduitfa branching from a threewvay valve V interposed in vconduit 57 .leads to the cylinder of casing B1 corresponding'with cylinder 49 of casing B, and another three-Way valve V1 corresponding With valves V and/V is interposed in conduit 571 preferably immediately .adjacent casing B1. A conduit 62a leading from the discharge port of casing B1 is oinevd to conduit 62, Which, as stated above, may lead to. one or more meters and nozzles connected to conduit 62h.

lVith an installation 'of this` character, valve Va may be: actuated Vto place either, but not both of the cylinders carried respectively by casings B and'B1 in communication with compressor C. Actuation `of said valvein one direct-ion yplace-s cylinder 49 'of vcasing B in communication With the compressor and, accordingly, upon closing valve `V from the atmosphere, liquid may be Withdrawn from either tank Tor T1 as desired and as described above. Under such circumstances, liquid cannot be Withdrawn from tanks T2 yor T3.

However, if valveVa is actuated in another direction, cylinder 49 ot casing B is closed from compressori@ Tf1/HC1 Conduit 571 places the cylinder in casi-ng B1 corresponding with said c ylinder4`9 in" communication Withthe compressor. Then, by closing `valve 'V1t7rom 'the `atmosphere,"liquid .may be .Withdnavvn from eithertank T2 or 'T3 as -desirec'ljv Under suchv circumstances, however, liquid cannot be Withdrawn from 'tanks 'T or T1.V

Valve body A4 of casing-V B2 4may becon'- nected by aconcluit '1511 to a tankr'lt Icontaining .oil of a different .grade than that conv` tained in'tan'ks T, T1, etc.VV Valvebody .A45 "of said casing B2 need not necessarily be utilized, but may 'beheld in reservey for future use'. A conduit 571"branchingfromconduit 57 leads Ato the cylinder of .casiiagfB2, oorresponding Withicylinder 4 9 off-casing vBand Vthree-Way `valve V2., corresponding with valves V and V1, islnterposed inicondui't '5711.

A conduit 65 leading fromthe vdischarge port otv casing B2'pas'ses the'y liquid to any suitablev destination, as one,on-'moren meters .and nozzles distinct trom those first mentioned.

It will be drawn from tank Tf1 simultaneously with Withdrawal from one ofthe tanks T, T1., T2, orT2, but that from this group liquidinay be Withdrawn froml but one :tank at a time. Further, it willfbe observed that valve v.Vit-may be actuated to -control Withdrawal fromone of thetanks T, T1, T2 or T3 as 4desiredwithout aiiectingt'he .flow from tank T2.

It will also be observed that operationof any one of the valves 63 will open conduits .57 and 5T1to the atmosphere and'tlfiait it valve lVa has been .actuated toplace conduit 5T .in-

'communication'R ywith .compr-essor C., ,thatv conduit Willk likewise be .opened to the-atn10s phere upon operation `of any one Iof fsa-id Ivalves 63. 'Accor-.dingly., ,if tlievalve structures connectedto .any of .the tanks .are held open Vby their .respective-fpistons 5l', the decreased air pressure will immediately become feet solely passage of liquid to said conduit from a selected tank, means for holding said observed that liquid may be ivith valve structure in'position topass liquid yto said conduit trom. sa1d.selected-tank, and

means controlling said lastmentioned means yforpermitting said valve structurerto resume f normal position. A 2. In a liquid dispensing system,a plu;- rality of liquid containing tanks connected to a discharge conduit, valve structure biased into position preventing passage offliquid to said conduit from said tanks and operable t0V y to a discharge conduit, valve structure biased into position preventing passage of liquid to said conduit from said tanks and operable to effect solely passage of liquid to said conduit from a selected tank, a piston, means for moving said piston to hold said valve structure imposition Jfor passing liquid tovsaid conduit from said selected tank, and means for moving'said piston in reverse direction to permit said valve structure to resume its original position.

4. In a liquid dispensing system, a pluralityv of liquid containing tanks connected to a discharge conduit, valve structure normally positioned to prevent passage of liquid to said conduit from said tanks, a piston, a spring biasing said piston in one direction1 pneumatic means normally holding said piston in another direction against the expansive tendency of said spring to hold said valve structure in a selected position, and means tor disabling. said pneumatic means to permit movement of said piston in said one direction.

5,'In a liquid dispensing system, a plurality of liquid containing tanks connected to a'discharge conduit, valve structure normally preventing passage of liquid to said conduit from said tanks, means for holding said valve structurein position to pass liquid to said conduit from a selected tank, land means operative in a plurality of regions for controlling said last-mentioned means for vpermitting said valve structureto resume normal position.

` 6.; In a liquid dispensing system, a plurality of liquid containing tanks connected to a discharge conduit, valve structure biased into position preventing passage of liquid to said conduit from said tanks, pneumatic-controlled'means forholding said valve structure in position to pass liquid to said conduit from a-selected tank, and means operative in a plurality of regions for disabling said last-mentioned means to permit said valve structure to resume Yits original position.

' 7. In a liquid dispensing system, a plurality ofliquid containing tanks connected to a discharge conduit, valve structure normally positioned to prevent passage of liquid to said conduit from said tanks, a piston, a spring biasing said piston in one direction, pneumatic means normally holding said piston in another direction against the expansive tendency of saidy spring to hold said vvalve structure in a selected position, and meansV said tank to said conduit, and means operative in a plurality of regions for disabling said last mentioned means to permit said valve structure to resume normal position. 9. In a liquid dispensing system, a plurality of tanks, a conduit leading to one destination for passing liquid from one group of said tanks, a second conduit leading to another destination 'for passing liquid from another tank, valve structures interposed in said conduits normally preventing passage of liquid from any of said tanks, Vand common means for holding said valvestructures in position to pass liquid from one `tank or" said group and from said other tank.

l0. In a liquid dispensing system, a plurality of tanks, a conduit leading to one destination for passing liquid from one group of said tanks, a second conduit leading to another destination for passing liquid rom 'another tank, valve structures interposed in said conduits normally preventing passage ot liquid from any of said tanks, means for holding said valve structures in position to pass liquid from one tank ot said group and from said other tank, and means controlling said last-mentioned means for permitting said valve structures to resume normal posi- Y tion.

ll. In a liquid dispensing system, a plurality of tanks, a conduit leading to one destination for passingliquid from one group of said tanks, a vsecond conduit leading to another destination for passing liquid from another tank or group of tanks, valve structures interposed in said conduits'normally preventing passage ot'liquid from any of said tanks, pneumatic-controlled means for holding said valve structures in position to pass liquid Vfrom one tank of each group, and means controlling said last mentioned means for permitting said valve structures to resume normal position. y

l2. In a liquid dispensing system, a plurality of tanks, a conduit passing liquid from one group of said tanks, a second conduit connected with said first mentioned conduit for passing liquid from another group of said tanks, valve structures interposed in said conduits normally preventing passage of liquid from any of said tanks, means for selecting and segregating the group of tanks from Which liquid'is to be Withdrawn, pneumatic-controlled means for holding thevalve structure of the selected group in position to WithdrawV7 liquid from less than all Vthe y tanks of said group,'and means controlling said last mentioned means for causing said valve structure to resume normal position.

13. In a liquid dispensing system, aV plu- Y i'ality of tanks, a conduitleading to one destination for passing liquid from one group of said tanks, a second conduit leading to the same destination for passing liquidfromV another group of said tanks, a third conduit leading to another destination for passing liquid from another tank, Valve structures interposed iii said conduitsnormally preventing passage of liquid from any of said tanks, means Jfor selecting and segregating one of said groups of tanks'irom Which liquid is to loe Withdrawn, ypneumatic-controlled means forl holding the Valve structure 'of the selected group in vposition to Withdraw liquid fromv less than all the tanks of said group, pneumatic-controlled means for holding the Valve structure in said third mentioned conduit in position to independently Withdraw liquid from"V said tank, and means for permitting the actuated valve structures to simultaneously resume normal position.

14. A liquid dispensing system comprising a plurality of groups of tanks, valve mechanisms controlling Withdrawal of liquid from the tanks of a group, means for actuating said valve mechanisms alternately, luid-pressure-operated means locking one of said Valve mechanisms in open position, and a Valve in one position causing application of fluid pressui'e to the fluid-pressure-operated means of` one group of tanks and cutting oii the fluid pressure from the fluid-pressure-operated means of the othei` group of tanks.

l5. A liquid dispensing systemeomprising a plurality of groups of tanks, Valve mechanisms controlling Withdrawal of liquid from the tanks of a group, means for actuating said Valve mechanisms alternately, fluid-pressure?A j' operated means looking one of said Valve mechanism-s in open position, a Valve in one position causing application of fluid pressure to the luid-pressure-operated means' of one group of tanks and cutting oi' the fluid pressure from the tluid-pressure-operated meansof the other group of tanks, and means for bleeding the fluid pressure.

CARL H.' EHLERS.- 

